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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27959195">S A L V A T I O N</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galacticgirl/pseuds/Galacticgirl'>Galacticgirl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>No Fandom, Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aliens, Background Relationships, Blood, Death, Exploration, F/F, F/M, Heartbreak, I swear it’s not a cult, Love, M/M, Missions, Missions Gone Wrong, Noah just needs a hug, Pining, Sabotage, Salvation, Slow Burn, Space Bois, Spaceships, They don’t know they have mutual feelings, Trauma, Undercover Missions, Unrequited Love, War, cuz he’s baby, even if it sounds like one, existing crush, galactic adventures since it’s my brand, gays in space, kiss, loosely based on among us because why da hale not, space, space girls</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 01:00:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,754</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27959195</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galacticgirl/pseuds/Galacticgirl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was a rule of thumb, a mantra that was repeated in his head with every new move he made, with every brush of his hands, every word spoken, and every glance shared. </p>
<p>The mission came first. </p>
<p>Always. </p>
<p>Or so he thought. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>(In other words: gays but in space)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Daniel/Griffin, Noah/Daniel, Noah/Griffin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The CS RAVEN</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This book is loosely based off of Among Us with the whole murder and sabotage plot -it was something I thought was inch resting to write so I hope you enjoy </p>
<p>Leave kudos and comments !!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was as if the clock slowed in the moments his feet padded on the cold metal, soft thuds following each footstep. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Thud, thud, thud</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The sound echoed, bouncing down the long corridor, the illusion of others becoming more eminent, but there was no one. There was never anyone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>just him. Alone. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had been that way for years. Just him with no one else around, and it wasn’t something he often thought about. He preferred keeping to himself, observing and gathering information instead of interacting with people. So, in a twisted way, he knew he always had himself and never felt like he needed anyone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His breathing felt heavier with every slow, agonizing second that passed by. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Inhale… exhale. Inhale… exhale. Inhale… exhale.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He could see the puffs of air with every breath before they faded, melding in with the cold atmosphere. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For a fleeting moment, a mere instant, it felt surreal like every minute leading up to this hadn’t happened. Every calculated, closely monitored step meant nothing—but </span>
  <em>
    <span>no</span>
  </em>
  <span>. They </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> meant something. Every second, minute, hour, day, and week leading up to this moment had been excruciating, but he had made it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>He made it despite the voices in his head whispering his greatest demons and insecurities to him. He wasn’t perfect, but he knew he was skilled. He knew he was skilled enough to carry this out, see things through until the very end. </span><em><span>He</span></em> <em><span>knew</span></em><span>. Yet, the small whisper in his head told him otherwise - the whisper of morality. </span><em><span>Humanity</span></em><span>. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The young pilot had finally boarded the </span>
  <em>
    <span>CS RAVEN</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The largest ship to leave planet earth, charted for one destination far from the Milky Way Galaxy: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Epsilion</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Surrounded by the void of space, he took a look around the spacecraft. State of the art equipment surrounded every corner and crevice, carefully designed by the most skilled engineers and design teams. Large smooth, hard glass windows surrounded some of the walls, allowing the slightest amount of light to flood into the common room. The combination-titanium exterior allowed for heavy impacts and minimal damage. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The technology from the way the oxygen was dispersed to the navigation systems was far from mundane and it rounded almost every area of the spacecraft. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The </span>
  <em>
    <span>CS RAVEN</span>
  </em>
  <span> was a feet of engineering, the epitome of human technology, and nothing else. The ship was powered by an electromagnetic drive, thrusting the ship forward at speeds that once seemed unattainable. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was, however, attained. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Once</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hermes-2 was the first mission to be launched to Epsilion, led by Commander Emma Sanda along with some of her most trusted colleagues twenty years ago. The </span>
  <em>
    <span>SS HAWK</span>
  </em>
  <span> was launched on November 18th, 1996 at precisely 20:34:56 (EST). The ship was in communication with earth for two years before the signals were scrambled, and it was as if something had happened to them. As if something or </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone</span>
  </em>
  <span> had hindered their path. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The last Earth had heard from the </span>
  <em>
    <span>SS HAWK</span>
  </em>
  <span> was December 6, 1998 at 08:45:24 (EST) with confirmation from commander Sanda that they had entered the Epsilion galaxy before it went </span>
  <em>
    <span>dark</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
  <em>
    <span> Just like that. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As if they had never existed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As if they had disappeared into thin air or rather, the empty vacuum of space. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> was exactly how it was supposed to be.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was speculation about whether or not Hermes-2 was actually launched or if it was all a hoax, but the new team of explorers knew the fate of their predecessors. They had been warned. They had heavy training for crises. They had memorized the ins and outs of the mission for months, even years for some. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But Noah Keating wasn’t like the others. He’d joined the program at a young age, but he quickly rose to the top—making him the resident weapons and fighter jet expert. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t the average pilot or crew member boarding the elite spacecraft. He was amongst the youngest of the team. Seventeen years old. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sixteen was when he joined the program for the sole purpose of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Salvation</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was why he was there. It was why every step had meant something. It was why he didn’t have any room for error. It was why things had been calculated in such a specific way that nothing could go wrong. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Every possibility had been accounted for.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes darted around the dark hallways, sucking in a breath, he brushed the hair away from his eyes as he went over the instructions he was given in his head once again. His fingers ghosted over the small spherical object in his pocket, gulping a little.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For seventeen year old Noah, getting passed the added security measures didn’t seem very difficult, but that was only if the information he’d gathered was correct. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>The thing about the Keating boy was that he was observant. </span><em><span>Very</span></em> <em><span>observant</span></em><span>. It was what made him good at what he did, but that stealth and skill didn’t come without practice. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Noah Keating wasn’t human. Entirely human that is. The Epsilion galaxy was where he’d come from, but at the young age of sixteen he was planted on Earth to operate amongst the people on Earth with the goal of making it onto the list of those going on the Hermes-3 mission. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He blended in well with the humans since he did look like them. He was a half-breed, something that was looked down upon by his people. They prided themselves on their features, sharp teeth, feline-like eyes and markings that represented a plethora of things. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Noah may have resembled a human, but he would </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> be </span>
  <em>
    <span>them</span>
  </em>
  <span>. One thing that his people did admire was his ability to fight from a young age. It came naturally to him. He lost both of his parents at a young age in a situation that wasn’t anything less of horrific. So, growing up alone meant proving his worth every step of the way. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had his demons, he knew he did, and they followed him everywhere he went no matter what, but the mission always came first. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was what he was told, it was what his mind always repeated, it was what he’d worked towards for an entire year away from home, and it was what he was meant to do. It was what he was made to do, his calling per se. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps fate had played a grand hand in bringing him to the place he was, but for Noah Keating, fate didn’t tug a heartstring or circle his thoughts often. He didn’t particularly dismiss the idea of it, but he also wasn’t entirely sure if he believed in it either.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t given a reason to. Everything that had led him up to this moment had been calculated and planned carefully, every move, every step had been mapped out. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nothing had been left to chance. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Noah had a marking of his own, a creamy pink mark that slashed the side of his face. It connected him to his people and his lineage. It was on the right side of his face and it stopped right below his cheek, starting from his jaw. It may have looked like a scar to the human eye, but it was more than that. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was his entire existence. The one piece of him that made him like the others, the one piece of him that defined him. Something he could be proud of. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The mark of a warrior.  </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His people prided themselves off of their markings and roles in their advanced society. Roles and markings were earned over time, and when the Keating boy’s mark had shown up, he’d been nothing less than ecstatic. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It resembled the one that his mother had, and whenever he looked into the mirror, he was reminded of her. His mother had been everything he ever wanted to be along with his father. He wanted to be the best of both of them, and they had always believed in him.</span>
  <em>
    <span> His worth</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The events that led to the destruction of Hermes-2 and the death of his parents had been catastrophic. No one had seen it coming, and it still gave him nightmares. The screams of pure pain still echoed in his mind, and he still woke up in cold sweats on occasion. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Noah!” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His mother’s voice echoed in his mind, his hands shaking from the way hers had gripped on his. The blood was staining them, but at that moment he didn’t care. All he cared about was that it was goodbye. It was the last time he ever felt his mother’s touch, the last time he ever heard her voice, and the last time he ever let himself truly </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’ll be safe soon…. soon.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was just him and his father for some time after that until he suffered the same fate not long after, leaving his son behind to carry the weight of losing both of his parents at a young age on his shoulders. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And maybe he was a monster for being numb to the feeling, but it wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t his burden to carry anymore. The moment he let his guard down, and let those feelings flood in, he knew he would crumble. He knew he would spiral. He knew it was a kind of pain he wouldn’t be able to overcome. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So, naturally, he kept that wall up, careful not to let any bricks fall out just for the sole feeling of being numb. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Numb to pain because he’d endured enough of that already, and he didn’t need to relive old wounds that never got the chance to heal fully. Maybe it was like slapping a bandage onto an open wound without any treatment, but it worked for him. It had to keep working. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He reached for the object in his pocket, throwing it across the floor. It bounced across the smooth, unscathed tiling with soft clicking noises. If his calculation had been right, then he’d be able to pinpoint where the lasers were. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The device clicked in place, and he heard it echo around the room as a purple smoke filled the area. The purple exposed the green lines that would trigger the security alarms on, and Noah smiled to himself before pulling his hood up. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He knew things like this like the back of his hands. He’d practiced these drills about a thousand times in the simulators until his legs would ache and his arms would give out. It was an acquired skill to be able to move through the lasers without grazing a single inch of his body. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The lasers on the spacecraft were more complex than the ones on the simulators, and he couldn’t afford any mistakes. He just had to remember to stay focused. He couldn’t let his thoughts or the voice degrading him in the back of his mind get the best of him. He sucked in a breath, carefully sliding between the lasers, careful not to trip any of them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He dove on his hands to balance his weight before bending his body over the next laser and standing onto his feet. He didn’t have much time since the purple smoke he’d released would dissipate into the air after a few moments. It was a safety precaution since he couldn’t risk being caught if someone happened to walk in. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No trace of him was to be left behind. He wouldn't compromise the mission before it even started. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The lasers were only the tip of the iceberg with the security system, but Noah had mapped out a clear path to the security board to disable the defences to give him just enough time to complete his first task. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The smoke behind him was beginning to fade, but he could still see the lights in front of him. The patterns were becoming more intricate, which meant that he had little opportunity to stop.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He managed to twist his way through the bright lasers, grabbing his smoke device from the end before tripping on his feet and falling onto the ground with a loud </span>
  <em>
    <span>smack</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The sound bounced off of the walls as a shooting pain shot up his body from the impact of his chin against the floor. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He swallowed it, pushing it down, ignoring the metallic taste of blood in his mouth as he got off the floor and dusted himself off. He exhaled slowly, watching as the smoke dissolved in front of his eyes exactly on schedule. One barrier down. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He moved over to one of the vent coverings, managing to unlatch it, and lifting it up. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Some of the vents in the ship were linked, which meant that he could clear a path to the security room to shut down the defences. He would have to time when they would turn back on, which meant that there was no room for error at all. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He needed to get in and out. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fast</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He needed enough time to get back to his room without getting caught.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When he was sixteen, he was enrolled in the Institution for Space Exploration and Weapons. Noah Keating was soon recognized as one of the top pilots in his class, and he was now the youngest fighter pilot boarding the </span>
  <em>
    <span>CS RAVEN</span>
  </em>
  <span> for Hermes-3 led by Marcus Froyd. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But the young warrior wasn’t there for Hermes-3, he was there for </span>
  <em>
    <span>Salvation</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He crawled into the small area, closing the vent behind him as he turned the light attached to the hood on to illuminate the dark space. It was an eerie glow that settled over it and he could hear the creak of the metal when he moved forward. The security room was only a few turns away. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He crawled through the sealed area, turning where he needed to before throwing off the covering of the vent that led to the security room with the high tech cameras and view of most of the rooms in the spacecraft. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He jumped down, landing feet first on to the soft green carpet of the room. He turned the light off, flipping his hood back and going over to the control panel. Tentative half-gloved fingers worked at the keyboard as his eyes scanned the cameras. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>One by one he saw the security measures collapse, laser systems going down, cameras going black, and alarms turning off. He timed everything to start up once again after he’d made his escape out of the ship. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As long as everything went smoothly, he had this in the bag. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With the systems down, the walk to the control room was easy. He strolled past the censors and camera with no trace that he was ever there before going over to a large console in the middle of the room. He got past the firewalls before pulling out a small device from his pocket. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a sleek silver USB stick or at least it resembled one. It wasn’t like the ones on Earth, he’d brought it with him. He stuck it into the port on the side of the computer, beginning his upload. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He needed a way to know what was going on in the ship at all times, and he needed a way to alter the transmission waves, and this was his way. He was going to sync the ship's systems with an untraceable link to his tablet. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I love you.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His mother’s voice echoed in his head once again, and this time he felt the sensation on his face. The warmth of her hands as she cupped his face in her hands, violet eyes burning into his as she took one last look at the boy she raised, and envisioned the man he’d become one day.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He remembered the blood smearing onto his face as he whispered the words back to her through blurry eyes, careful not to be too loud since </span>
  <em>
    <span>they</span>
  </em>
  <span> couldn’t know that he was there. He felt the warmth of his mother’s touch before everything had gone out cold as if someone had blown out the candle of life with a single breath, and he was left behind. As always, Noah was left behind. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That was one of the last times he’d said the words aloud.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The last time was when he lost his father. The last time he said them </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> the last time he’d heard them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A soft ping came from his tablet, which meant that the upload had been successful. He pulled the USB stick out of the console before shutting down the system. He tugged at his gloves, taking a deep breath before walking out of the room. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He knew he needed to do this, yet sometimes he felt as if this wasn’t what he should be - </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>They</span>
  </em>
  <span> took everything from him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>They</span>
  </em>
  <span> took his mother. </span>
  <em>
    <span>They</span>
  </em>
  <span> took his father. </span>
  <em>
    <span>They</span>
  </em>
  <span> broke apart his family, taking - </span>
  <em>
    <span>murdering</span>
  </em>
  <span> the two people he loved and who loved him most. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>They</span>
  </em>
  <span> had to pay. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He took another deep breath, brushing the thick, dark hair out of his eyes before pulling his hood back over his head, and mask over his nose. He had about thirty seconds to get out of the ship, which, to some, wouldn’t seem like enough time, but to the Keating boy that was plenty of time. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He sprinted down the halls as the security measures began turning on once again. He stopped near the entrance, throwing the smoke device onto the ground just in case the lasers had turned back on. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A sigh of relief escaped his lips before he retrieved his device and jumped off of the ship and onto the dock. He looked up at the ship, placing his hand on the door, a smirk forming on his face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Salvation: 1 </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Hermes-3: 0</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Launch Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here is chapter two! I kind of know the direction I want to take this story and I’ll try updating it as much as possible </p>
<p>Don’t forget to leave kudos and comments!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p>
  <span>A large audience was present for the launch as well as cameras from every possible angle, flashes of pictures being taken practically every second. Some of the crew members were waving to the cameras and pulling smiles for them. Noah kept his eyes trained on the entrance of the ship, trying not to let his mind or his eyes wander. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It didn’t phase him as much since he knew what Epsilion was like, it was his home. To him, he was just making the trip back home, but he understood why everyone else seemed excited. He’d watched them all carefully as they trained and prepared for the mission. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The mission came first. The mission always came first.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He repeated the words to himself in his head, pulling some kind of concentrated face subconsciously when he felt a hand placed on his shoulder. “You’ve earned this,” a voice followed the hand. Noah looked up to see that he was facing Marcus. Marcus Froyd, the Commander, the person who would be leading the mission, and one of the only people Noah talked to from time to time at the Institution.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t know much about Marcus outside of the fact that he was good at what he did, and that he seemed nice enough, which made him feel a little guilty for what he was going to do. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Only a little</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He knew he hung around a girl often, Veronica Walsh, he recalled and another boy that looked around Noah’s age, but he didn’t know his name or care enough to want to.  “I know,” Noah replied, affirming the words with a nod. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had earned this. He’d worked harder than anyone would ever know for this, and he deserved this. He didn’t need to feel guilty. He couldn’t feel guilty because the mission always came first. There was nothing standing in his way now.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He walked onto the ship, relishing in the feeling of being aboard it, knowing it was finally time to launch. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Oh. My. God.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> A voice sounded from behind him, it wasn’t loud, the words were a mere breath, but Noah heard it. He snapped his head back to see a group of people his age. He recognized one of the boys, but he couldn’t quite recall the other one or the two girls. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The boy that had spoken had caramel skin and locks of brown hair on his head that had a sort of disheveled style to them. He was tall, not much taller than Noah, but still tall. His eyes were brown from what Noah could see and his mouth hung open as he gaped at the spacecraft. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A small smile tugged at Noah’s lips at that. He’d seen so many spaceships in his life that this one didn’t seem all too glamorous, but he could understand why he would find it impressive. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The boy beside him looked older, a little more mature. He was taller and he had a darker complexion along with darker hair, but one thing Noah’s eyes didn’t gloss over the fact he had brilliant green eyes that shone like emeralds. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And </span>
  <em>
    <span>wow</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes then wandered to the two girls. One of them was slightly taller than the other with red hair that was pulled into a ponytail. She had blue eyes and prominent freckles on her olive skin. The girl beside her had short black hair that was a similar colour to Noah’s. She had a pale complexion and glasses.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She must’ve noticed him looking at them instead of around the ship since she gave him a small wave. The boy who had spoken earlier, followed her gaze to Noah, immediately whipping his head around as if he’d been shot, grabbing his friend’s hand and putting it down. The redhead rolled her eyes before she laughed a little. “Is that </span>
  <em>
    <span>him?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” she whispered, but Noah caught the words although they were probably meant just for her friends. There was something knowing in her voice like they knew something that Noah didn’t, and that, for some reason, bothered him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” came from the raven haired girl at the same time as the boy grumbled a “</span>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”   </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Noah brushed off whatever they were talking about before he began walking further into the ship. The common room was the main section of the ship, and it looked different than it did the night before. The light that flooded through the large windows shimmered on the smooth surfaces, refracting the light in ways that made the ship look nothing short of beautiful. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It truly was a magnificent piece of technology and architecture. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were directed towards their rooms to put their things in. Everyone was allotted one suitcase and one extra bag for their things. That was enough for Noah since he didn’t have much anyways. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He pulled his luggage behind him, one bag slung over his shoulder as he made his way down the halls to where his room was. He passed by each of the rooms looking for the one with a post-it note with his name on it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The rooms looked relatively the same, and from the blueprint he’d downloaded onto his tablet of the entire ship, it looked like there were about thirty chambers. Most of them were shared, but some of them were rooms for some of the crewmembers who were higher up like the Commander.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Some of the rooms were in the hallway he was in while the others were on the other side of the ship. Noah looked to see that the two girls from earlier were entering a room, but he didn’t get the chance to glance at their names. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He found his name near the end of the hall plastered on one of the doors. A small smile formed on his face at the fact that it meant that he got a room with more than one window just like he’d asked for.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The stars gave him comfort, and looking at the vast space around him made him feel closer to his parents in a way, or maybe it was because he’d spent so many nights outside looking at the stars with both his mother and father. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“We’ll always be under the same stars.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He recalled his father saying once when he had to separate from Noah for some time for reasons that even he never found out. That just seemed so ironic now since Noah wasn’t under the same stars as his friends or colleagues back on Elzinore. He was in a whole other galaxy, living a whole new reality, with no one by his side. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was how it had been for years. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He took a closer look at the other name on the post-it note beside his. He recognized… well the last name of whoever this boy was. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Noah Keating</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Daniel Walsh </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Guess, we’re sharing a room,” a voice said behind him, and Noah looked over to see the same emerald eyed boy from earlier. “You’re Noah I’m assuming?” he asked, reaching out his hand for Noah. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Noah gave him a nod, shaking his hand because he assumed that’s what he wanted him to do. “Daniel right?” he asked, a smirk toying at his lips, and the older boy laughed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s me,” he flashed a smile that was near perfect. Noah pressed the button on the side of the door to open it up before the two of them made their way inside. Unlike the rest of the ship, the rooms had been relatively stripped down to the essentials. There was an alcove on either side of the wall where the beds were tucked into, a few drawers lining the walls for their things and there was a shared wardrobe at the far end of the room. Which meant that Noah had to be careful with what he left in there. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He got to opening up his suitcase, glancing over at Daniel once. When he wasn’t paying attention to Noah, he took the opportunity to slip his blade underneath the mattress. He did it in one swift motion, careful not to draw any attention to it. It wasn’t like he was planning on hurting anyone with it, it had more sentimental value to him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had been his mother’s and because he shared her DNA, he was able to use the blade as well. She had trusted him with it, and he would cherish it forever. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He took out the clothes he’d brought with him, stuffing them in the drawers and throwing the extra bag he had on the bed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Noah looked back at Daniel to see that he had just abandoned his things on the floor, looking out the window to wave to someone, presumably his parents. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He then flopped down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. “How does it feel being the youngest fighter pilot like in the history of the world?” he asked, looking over at Noah before his eyes darted back to the ceiling.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Noah sat on the edge of his own bed, pursing his lips. He’d never really conversed with others all that much, but maybe he should start to? If he wanted to blend in? “You know that?” he decided on asking since it seemed like a good conversation starter. He didn’t think that people noticed him all that much. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Daniel let out something that was between a laugh and a snort, playfully rolling his emerald eyes. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Please</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Gri - </span>
  <em>
    <span>everyone</span>
  </em>
  <span> knows about it,” he said, but it seemed like he’d switched up his sentence halfway. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s good to know, I guess…” Noah trailed off, eyes wandering around the room. He wasn’t very good at small talk. “I mean… you and your friends, we’re pretty much the same age, right?” he asked, recalling some of the information he’d heard at one of the seminars before the mission. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re in the mentorship program though, so we’re basically shadowing other people unlike </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he pointed out, again it seemed like he knew something Noah didn’t. He looked like he was about to say something else when a voice came in through the PA system. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>The CS RAVEN will be launching in precisely one minute, everyone to their stations. Again the CS RAVEN will be launching in precisely one minute to your stations please.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Noah hopped off his bed so that he and Daniel could make their way to one of the space cabins with their seats “Ready?” Daniel asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Always,” Noah responded, a smirk tugging at his lips as they entered the room. The boy and two girls from earlier were also inside the room along with someone Noah didn’t quite recognize. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He sat down across from the boy with brown eyes, and Daniel took the seat in front of him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The countdown could be heard through the speakers and he tapped his fingers against the armrest. They all seemed on edge. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone on the ship knew there was the slightest possibility that it wouldn’t lift off the ground, so each second seemed agonizingly slow. Noah let his eyes close, and through the silence he could hear the other boy humming slightly. He tapped his fingers along to the tune, a nervous habit of his. He leaned his head back, preparing for the impact when they did launch. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His heart rate quickened when the speaker hit the number ten. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Ten </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Nine </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Eight </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Seven </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The seconds slowed </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Six </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Five </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Four </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He could practically hear his heartbeat in his ears. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Three </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Two </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>One </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He felt a jolt like the ship had moved, which was what everyone was hoping for really. Noah’s eyes popped open when he heard the Commander's voice. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“And we have thrust.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The others were looking at each other with wide eyes and grins. “We’re actually going to freakin’ </span>
  <em>
    <span>space,</span>
  </em>
  <span> guys,” the redhead said in awe. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Noah looked over to see that the boy whose name he didn’t know was looking at him, but he immediately looked away when Noah caught him staring. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What was his deal?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He then moved his gaze to the girl with glasses, she was just smirking, again it felt like these kids were in on some secret that Noah wasn’t, and it was starting to irritate him more and more.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You wanna join us for freeze dried ice cream later?” She asked with a hopeful look in her eye. The brown eyed boy let out some sort of hiss at his friend before his eyes darted over to Noah, a streak of red covering his cheekbones. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, okay,” Noah nodded in response since it really couldn’t hurt to try and make friends. He didn’t need anyone catching on why he was on the ship in the first place. He looked at some of the buttons on the side of his seat. He pressed one of the buttons to open up the panels on the opposite side of his seat to reveal large windows, where they could see themselves exiting Earth’s atmospheres.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>From that, he was met with looks of awe and wide eyes like they’d all seen a pile of candy that was meant for each of them respectively. It didn’t phase Noah all that much since he’d been in space countless times - even as a kid. He just observed the movements of everyone else. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He was good at picking up cues for the most part. He noticed how all of them gripped onto the armrests tighter as the ship began tilting upwards. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I never thought I’d be here,” the boy across from Noah said, his voice barely a whisper but they’d all heard it. “How did you know to do that?” he asked, looking over at Noah, and then something Noah couldn’t quite place crossed his features. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Noah just shrugged, not bothering to say anything. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you think Epsilion is like?” The raven haired girl spoke up. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Way cooler than our galaxy,” the boy replied. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I think it’s kind of eerie, actually,” the redhead said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But </span>
  <em>
    <span>really cool</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” the boy repeated, seeming like he was contemplating something before he turned towards Noah. “Uh… what do you think?” he asked nervously. Noah didn’t really see him as the type of guy who would get nervous, but maybe he just wasn’t comfortable speaking with Noah just yet. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t the most approachable guy he’d been told, but he had a lot on his mind so truthfully he wasn’t to blame. There was that, and the fact that letting people in was daunting. The moment he let someone in meant that he had let his guard down, and that was something he’d never be ready to do. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He wouldn’t be around them for long anyways. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It was just how the world worked: he had to leave before he got left. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Probably cooler than ours,” he replied, and that seemed like the right answer since he smiled. His smile was nice, and something about it gave him a fuzzy feeling in his stomach. “More planets maybe,” he added although he knew it was true. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Epsilion galaxy was bigger than the Milky Way and there were stars that burned differently, areas where time moved differently, planets that housed all sorts of species, so many viable and habitable planets. He sighed a little, looking out the window. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He really missed his home, but somehow nowhere felt like home anymore. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Noah was Elzirean since he was born on the planet Elzinore in the Epsilion galaxy. Elzinore was a beautiful planet, and Noah had grown in one of the capital sectors, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Astria</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Astria was everything anyone ever hoped it to be, where peace and prosperity thrived. With the help of other sectors, they’d advanced so far into the future, that the height seemed unimaginable by humans from Earth. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t like he moved sectors like some of the others, like some of his friends had. He had moved to an entirely different galaxy on a planet that he only knew of because of his father. He reached up for the two rings hidden under his shirt, tracing his fingers over them. They were one of the only pieces of his parents he had left. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He knew why he was the one sent for this mission, why Salvation fell into his hands. It was because he looked like them, but he knew he’d never be them. He let another soft sigh escape his lips, recalling what home was like to him, but if all went to plan, he wouldn’t be going back there. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Truth was, sacrificing a seventeen year old boy who basically had no reason to live was a decision the council was willing to make, so maybe he wouldn’t be going home, but he’d know he did something of merit, for once in his life he’d have done something of worth. Maybe, just maybe, his parents’ deaths wouldn’t have been for nothing. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Maybe it’s not as glamorous as Astria, but you would love it there.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He remembered one of the conversations he’d had with his father when they’d found a patch of grass away from all the chaos. They were staring up at the stars, and Noah always wondered if his father ever missed home. He remembered looking over at him, and asking the question. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’re my home now.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He remembered hearing those words and thinking nothing of them, but he remembered the way his father had said them with a fondness in his voice and he’d tapped Noah’s nose, which made him laugh. He didn’t get to laugh often or really just grow up as a normal kid, but he missed the feeling. He missed being </span>
  <em>
    <span>happy</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The words circled his mind, and he finally understood how meaningful they were. His father had travelled across galaxies and committed to a life on Elzinore even though tension was running high at the time. But still, he never wished that he was back on Earth. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He snapped out of his thoughts, unbuckling himself from his seat. The others were talking amongst themselves, and they didn’t ask where he was going. He managed to slip out of the cabin, making his way down the halls. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He peeked into the rooms, biting down on his lip slightly when he heard a familiar voice call his name. “Noah!” Veronica called, waving him over to where she and Marcus were. He gave her a smile before going over to them. They were in what he assumed was the kitchen, and Noah sat down on one of the chairs in front of the island in the middle of the room. “Finding everything okay?” she asked him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Noah nodded in response. “I think your brother’s my roommate,” he added after thinking about it for a moment. Come to think of it, Daniel did share a lot of similarities with Veronica. They had the same skin tone and eyes, her hair was longer and darker, but she kept it up most of the time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t let him bother you too much,” she playfully rolled her eyes, leaning over the counter on her elbows. “He can be an idiot sometimes, but maybe you could become friends,” she added with a shrug. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe,” Noah echoed her words before turning to Marcus. “Can I try to steer the ship?” he asked hopefully. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There really was no ulterior motive to that. He wasn’t going to try and crash the ship or anything, truthfully he just wanted to try and steer the ship. He was still a seventeen year old boy even if he was on a super secret mission that no one could know about, and sometimes even Noah wanted to have a little fun. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why not?” he asked. “I’m great at flying!” he exclaimed. “And I outdid </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> at the Institution, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mr. Commander.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re not flying the ship, Noah,” he said with a laugh as he shook his head. A small pout formed on Noah’s face before his gaze shifted his gaze to his hands. His mind wandered to Daniel’s friends, the ones that were in the mentorship program. They seemed oddly interested in him, and he wasn’t exactly sure why. He remembered when the raven haired girl had waved at him, but the boy beside her swatted her hand away… did he not like Noah? Did he have something against him?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s up with those kids in the mentorship program?” he decided on asking. It wasn’t too suspicious or forced, and he assumed Veronica and Marcus would give him the answer he wanted or… didn’t want. “I felt like they were talking about me earlier,” he mumbled. Social interaction wasn’t really his thing, so asking them directly wasn't even an option. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re joking right?” Veronica asked with wild eyes. “You have to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>joking</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Keating.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marcus rolled his eyes, playfully hitting her shoulder, which earned him a glare from her. Noah always assumed there was something going on between them, but they swore they were just friends. “They admire you… everyone does, really.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Admired? </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Me?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Fell from his lips stupidly as if he couldn’t believe that someone admired him. Really, it was because no one ever made him feel that way. He was just the good for nothing half-breed that no one would miss. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Veronica continued, taking a jab at his chest. “I swear, I was convinced Daniel was in love with you for a little while.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Noah knitted his eyebrows, lips pursing in confusion as he tried to wrap his head around what they were saying. They were the same age as him and they were also on the ship, shouldn’t they be proud of themselves? Why did someone like Noah deserve their admiration? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He would just disappoint them in the end. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hold still.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He heard his mother’s voice in his thoughts, a memory he’d long buried starting to resurface. He felt the burning sensation on his arm as his mother cleaned the gash on his arm, scolding him about being careful. She wasn’t mad at him, she just cared about him. There was a fondness in her voice as she scolded him about playing with her blade. She used her hands to wipe the tears from his eyes before kissing his forehead. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He was going to be okay. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He shook off the thought although he knew it would just be replaced by a new one. It always came back to him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Always</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It came back in flashes like a kaleidoscope of memories shifting and turning in his mind until it landed on a clear one to circle his mind, make his stomach churn, and his heart yearn. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Noah looked over at Marcus to see that he was looking down at his tablet with a smile plastered across his face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Looks like we’re on course for Epsilion.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Salvation: 1</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Hermes-3: 1</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
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